DUBLIN CAPTAIN CARLA Rowe scored 3-6 as a ruthless Dublin side swept aside Cavan on a score of 5-15 to 1-8 at Kingspan Breffni to record their first win of this year’s TG4 All-Ireland SFC.
Rowe also missed a second half penalty after substitute Sinead Aherne was taken down in the 58th minute.
The sides were level twice in the opening seven minutes. Points from Jennifer Dunne and Hannah Tyrrell saw Dublin go two up in the 14th minute. One minute later Aisling Gilsenan’s free hit the crossbar.
A good move from the Dubs saw them get their first goal in the 18th minute. Tyrrell played the ball across the face of the goal and Eilish O’Dowd finished to the net. By the 25th minute, Dublin had extended their lead to seven points.
Dublin were dangerous on the attack and at times opened the Cavan defence up with ease. Just before the break they got a second goal; Rowe played a one-two with Tyrrell before firing to the net to extend the lead to 12 points at 2-9 to 0-3.
As the rain lashed down, Cavan grabbed a goal in the 32nd minute. Aishling Sheridan spotted her sister Geraldine as she took a quick free, Geraldine raced through before raising the green flag.
Dublin’s reply was two Rowe frees before Aishling Sheridan hit a powerful effort over the bar. Mick Bohan’s charges got a third goal in the 40th minute; Rowe with an excellent shot for her second of the game.
Niamh Hetherton scored a fantastic fourth goal for Dublin as they were clinical in front of the posts. Right at the end Rowe grabbed her third of the game and Dublin’s fifth as they ran out comfortable winners.
Elsewhere, Galway secured top spot in Group 4 and a home quarter-final as they overcame a spirited Tipperary outfit at Moyne Templetuohy GAA Grounds, winning 4-10 to 3-4.
Tipperary face Cork next with that tie deciding who finishes second in the group and progresses to the quarter final stage.
There were hail showers and thunder before the contest but it was Tipperary who made a lightning start as they found the net inside the opening 90 seconds. A patient move saw Niamh Martin’s long range delivery acrobatically punched to the net by Aishling Moloney.
Maghnus Breathnach and Fiona Wynne’s charges refused to panic though. The Leonard cousins – Tracey and Róisín – helped Galway draw level with the former firing over two scores while the latter curled over a neatly taken effort.
A superb Leanne Coen effort pushed Galway in front for the first time but the Tipperary response was emphatic. A flowing team move ended with Angela McGuigan’s long range strike flying to the roof of the net. Galway hit back in style as Tracey Leonard finished to the bottom corner after being set up by cousin Róisín.
Shauna Brennan, Olivia Divilly and Róisín Leonard (free) slotted over before the break while Emma Morrissey grabbed Tipperary’s first point after 25 minutes with Galway leading 1-7 to 2-1 at the interval.
The third quarter saw Tipperary control possession as Emma Morrissey showed her class to strike over two superb long-range scores.
But Galway possess the class to cut through any defence in the country with Lynsey Noone finding the net after Kate Geraghty won a crucial turnover.
Despite Tipperary trying valiantly to push forward and carve out the scores to cut the gap on Galway, the Tribeswomen countered for a huge score as Louise Ward saw her long-range effort fly to the net.
Galway’s squad depth began to show as the ever dangerous Kate Slevin came off the bench to score their fourth goal after being set up by Olivia Divilly.
Moloney continued to be a threat for Tipperary and she got her second goal in the closing stages when the fisted the ball to the net.
Dublin scorers: C Rowe 3-6 (4f); N Hetherton 1-1; H Tyrrell 0-3 (1f); E O’Dowd 1-0; J Dunne 0-2; A Timothy, S Wylde, J Egan 0-1.
Cavan scorers: A Gilsenan 0-4 (4f); G Sheridan 1-0; A Sheridan 0-2; N Keenaghan, C McCaffrey 0-1.
Dublin: A Shiels; N Crowley, G Fitzsimons, N Donlon; F O’Connell-Bell, L McGee, E O’Dowd; J Dunne, N Hetherton; A Timothy, D Lawless, C Rowe; H Tyrrell, S Wylde, K Sullivan.
Subs: S Aherne for Timothy (38), J Egan for Sullivan (45), C Darby for Tyrrell (48).
Cavan: Roisin O’Reilly; C Madden, S Lynch, C Charters; Z Fay, C Brady, Rebecca O’Reilly; N Byrd, A Cahill; A Walls, A Sheridan, A Halton; G Smith, G Sheridan, A Gilsenan.
Subs: N Keenaghan for Halton (36), C McCaffrey for Charters (45), E Madden for Cahill (50), M Cusack for C Madden (51).
Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo).
Galway scorers: T Leonard 1-2; K Slevin 1-1 (0-1f); L Ward, L Noone 1-0; R Leonard (1f), O Divilly 0-2; S Brennan, L Coen, E Noone 0-1.
Tipperary scorers: A Moloney 2-1; A McGuigan 1-0; E Morrisey 0-3 (1f).
Galway: K Connolly; K Geraghty, S Ní Loingsigh, A Ní Cheallaigh; A Molloy, N Ward, S Brennan; L Ward, L Coen; L Noone, H Noone, O Divilly; T Leonard, A Davoren, R Leonard.
Subs: K Slevin for R Leonard (39), S Divilly, for S Brennan (39), E Noone, for T Leonard (46), A Trill, for L Noone (55), E Gavin, for S Ní Loingsigh (55).
Tipperary: L Fitzpatrick; E Kelly, L Spillane, E Cronin; M Curley, L Morrissey, C O’Dwyer; E Morrissey, N Towey; C English, M Murphy, S English; A McGuigan, N. Martin, A Moloney.
Subs: K. Downey for C. English (39), N Spillane, for M Murphy (39), R. Kiely for A. McGuigan (47), N Martin, for S English (52).
Referee: Garryowen McMahon (Mayo).
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